Nalinikanta Panda

Asst. Professor
Forces and moments
The longer
the spanner,
the greater
the turning
effect (force)

Spanners are
used for
tightening and
loosening nuts.
They help to
produce a
larger turning
effect.
 Forces and moments

To increase the force

applied to undoing a
wheel nut, extend the
length of the spanner –
you can do this by
inserting a length of
pipe over the end.
Application
 Forces and moments

Moment of = force x perpendicular

a force about distance from
Don’t a point the point
forget
that the
unit of
Force ie
the
Newton Moments may be described as clockwise or
(N) anticlockwise, and the moment of a force is
also called a torque.
 3N

Let’s look at a
few examples X
of calculations
involving 5m
moments.
Moment about X = 3 x 5 = 15N
(anticlockwise)

4m

Principle of moments
5N

Moment about X = 5 x 4 = 20N

(clockwise)
The Principle of Moments

This beam is in a state of balance.

In order to be balanced, the clockwise forces must
be equal to the anticlockwise forces.
We say that the beam is in a state of equilibrium.

The Principle of Moments states that:

“If an object is in equilibrium, the sum of the clockwise moments
about any point is equal to the sum of the anticlockwise moments
about that point.”
The Principle of Moments Let’s look
at some
worked
examples
1m
2m

20N 10N

Anticlockwise moment Clockwise moment

= 20 x 1 = 20Nm = 10 x 2 = 20Nm
The Principle of Moments Let’s look
at some
worked
examples
1m
2m
0.5m

20N 20N 5N

Anticlockwise moment Combined clockwise moment

= 20 x 1 = 20Nm = (5 x 2) + (20 x 0.5) = 20Nm
 VARIGNON'S THEOREM
• Moment of a resultant force about any point is
equal to the sum of the moments of the
components of that force about the same point.

• If R= A+ B, then MR= MA + MB

MR = Moment at O due to force R

MA= Moment at O due to force A

MB = Moment at O due to force B

TYPES OF SUPPORT

Elbow

Pole, Column
 EQUILIBRIUM

• Condition of Equilibrium-
 EQUILIBRIUM OF NON PARALLEL FORCES

• Three non-parallel forces can be in equilibrium only

when they lie in one plane, intersect in one point and
their free vectors or line of action forms a close
triangle.
 LET’S SOLVE FEW
NUMERICALS NOW